Learn how exemplary countries are dealing with the challenges and joys of advancing the development of their youngest citizens. In this book, Sharon Lynn Kagan and her contributors systematically examine how six diverse countries go about envisioning, designing, and implementing their services to young children and their families. "The Early Advantage 1" sheds light on new and exciting approaches to early childhood education and care (ECEC) that are contributing to the quality, equity, efficiency, and sustainability of services for young children. Brimming with fresh insights, the text provides concrete examples of successfully implemented strategies and methods that warrant attention from other countries wishing to improve their early childhood services. The 2-year comparative analysis upon which this volume is based was made possible with funding and support from the National Center on Education and the Economy's (NCEE) Center on International Education Benchmarking. This book: (1) presents groundbreaking approaches to early childhood policy, practice, and service delivery from around the globe; (2) is based on contributions from leading scholars and policymakers from six countries: Australia, England, Finland, Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore; (3) acknowledges the important role of culture in shaping the quality and array of services afforded to young children; (4) uses rigorous research that includes common designs, vetted protocols, and repeated validations; (5) includes detailed country fact sheets with data on demographics, governmental expenditures, staff qualifications, mandated monitoring systems, and more; and (6) is part of NCEE's research into the 9 Building Blocks for a World-Class Education System. This book contains the following chapters: (1) Changing the Narratives (Sharon Lynn Kagan); (2) Maintaining the Reform Momentum in Australia (Collette Tayler, Tom Peachey, and Bridget Healey); (3) Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Skills: Universal and Integrated Early Childhood Services in England (Kathy Sylva, Grace Murkett, and Lily Fritz); (4) A Principled, Personalized, Trusting, and Child-Centric ECEC System in Finland (Kristiina Kumpulainen); (5) Responsive Policymaking and Implementation: Enhancing ECEC System Quality and Equity in Hong Kong (Nirmala Rao and Carrie Lau); (6) Progress via Innovation and Investment: Setting the Stage for Greater Harmonization in the Republic of Korea (Mugyeong Moon and Eva Landsberg); (7) A Careful Balancing Act: Evolving and Harmonizing a Hybrid System of ECEC in Singapore (Rebecca Bull and Alfredo Bautista); and (8) Acting on New Narratives (Sharon Lynn Kagan and Eva Landsberg). [Foreword by Marc Tucker.]